How Hershey's is turning a chocolate bar into a digital love note

Hershey’s is reimagining chocolate gifting in the Philippines and Thailand with the launch of its new digitally interactive campaign, “Love for every bar”.

Developed with innovation agency KRDS Digital, the initiative combines AI, webtoon-style avatars, and augmented reality (AR) to turn chocolate bars into personal, shareable digital greetings.

Timed for International Women’s Day, the campaign builds on the momentum of Hershey’s “Celebrate #HerSHE” and “She inspires” movements. It offers a tech-forward platform for consumers to honour loved ones and inspirational women, blending the physical joy of chocolate with a lasting digital keepsake.

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The limited-edition packaging transforms Hershey’s chocolate wrappers into a digital canvas. Consumers can personalise their gifts in two ways: AI-powered cartoon e-cards, which convert uploaded photos into playful animated personas that “speak” the sender’s message, and immersive AR messaging, where recipients unlock pre-set digital experiences by scanning the chocolate bar with their smartphones.

KRDS Digital designed the platform to be mobile-first and web-based, removing the need for app downloads and making it accessible across devices. The campaign aims to make modern gifting more expressive, encouraging consumers to celebrate everyday efforts and personal stories of women while leaving a lasting digital imprint.

The limited-edition “Love for every bar” chocolates are now available at leading supermarkets and grocery outlets in the Philippines and Thailand.

“Meaningful gifting is not just about the item itself, it’s about the experience it creates,” said Sunny Johar, managing director for SEA, KRDS Digital. “With AI-generated webtoon characters and immersive AR, each chocolate bar becomes a unique digital keepsake that captures the thought and care behind the gift.”

The campaign builds on Hershey’s previous efforts in the region. Last March, the brand launched its “She inspires” initiative across Southeast Asia, celebrating women’s contributions both big and small. That campaign also used KRDS Digital’s AI-powered platform to let consumers nominate their “sheroes” and create personalised appreciation cards, complete with customised poems reflecting each nominee’s unique qualities.

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